HARRISBURG –As soon as Gov. Josh Shapiro signed his first state budget, his administration announced that it will end by the end of this year the long-standing contract for a life affirming outreach called Real Alternatives, a program that promotes childbirth. The program, which operated through three Democrat governor administrations before Josh Shapiro, offers free life-affirming services, and since there’s already a program funding centers that perform abortions, this pregnancy and parenting program does not promote, refer or counsel for abortion. Thomas Shaheen, Vice President for Policy at PA Family Institute says “PA law declares it is the public policy of this Commonwealth to encourage childbirth over abortion, yet this administration wants to unilaterally prioritize only one option for women: the ending of a pregnancy through abortion. Our governor is already denying needy children from accessing a better education with his budget veto of Lifeline Scholarships. Now he wants to deny children a chance at life. How incredibly heartless.”
